


The Rube Goldberg Machine

by DaftPunk_DeLorean



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Science Boyfriends, Science Bros, Tony and Bruce having fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-19
Updated: 2018-01-19
Packaged: 2019-03-06 16:16:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13414965
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaftPunk_DeLorean/pseuds/DaftPunk_DeLorean
Summary: Bruce likes to tinker and build things in his spare time. Tony couldn't be more delighted.





	The Rube Goldberg Machine

The pink tip of Bruce’s tongue pressed between his lips, as a crease furrowed his brow. He fiddled with pipette, carefully adding and removing water from a wine glass until it sang a perfectly tuned C when he tapped it with a fingernail. He stepped back and frowned over the array of mechanics, playing through the sequence in his mind, hearing the progression, visualizing the outcome. He finally smiled; everything was perfect.

He turned away from the machine, still lost in the mechanics of the construction. He’d been working on it for weeks- months? And couldn’t wait for the first complete trial. He took care to brew the perfect cup of tea for the occasion, and while it brewed, he carefully stacked a small pyramid of sugar cubes on a delicate silver tray.

“And what have we got here?” 

Bruce whirled around with a startled yelp to face Tony, who grinned at him, his arms crossed as he leaned casually in the doorway.

“Um. Tinkering?” Bruce said, his smile returning as Tony came to him with warm eyes and a warmer kiss. 

“Since when?” Tony murmured, looking over Bruce’s shoulder with interest.

“Since always. I, uh… I like making things.”

“Obviously. How did I not know this about you?”

Bruce shrugged, a flush creeping to his cheeks.

“I don’t know, I didn’t think anyone would be that interested…” Bruce said, and Tony waved a hand.

“Please don’t tell me that you would think _me,_ a _mechanical engineer,_ a man with an army of mechanical robot armors, would not be interested in building things. _Especially_ building things with the love of my life,” he said in mock offense. Bruce snorted. 

“Oh, come on. You build _things._ _Real_ things. This is just… silly. A pastime,” he said, scratching at his left wrist.

Tony returned his gaze to Bruce, grinning widely.

“My darling, Rube Goldberg machines are never silly,” he declared, obvious excitement in his voice. Bruce warmed.

“Really?”

“Of course, really. Bruce, this had to have taken months! What does it do?” he said with interest, stepping back and taking in the elaborate contraption of wood, metal, and glass that wound its way through the rarely-used archive room adjacent to Bruce’s office. Bruce broke into a thrilled grin, pulling a silver ball bearing out of his pocket.

“Once put into motion, the ball bearing gains precisely 5% of the starting momentum per linear foot. It engages a second bearing at the double helix, which then play ‘Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star’ in two-part harmony on the wine glasses, then at the end-“ Bruce paused, picking up his mug of tea and placing it on a saucer near the end of the machine- “it puts a sugar cube in my tea,” he finished proudly. Tony laughed, snaking an arm around Bruce’s waist.

“Bruce, I love it! Months of exacting, brain-bending work, five minutes of heart-stopping, utter perfection, and all for a single sugar cube. You are the most radiant joy of my life, do you know that?” he laughed, and this time, Bruce’s cheeks flamed. Tony had a way of making all of Bruce’s little eccentricities seem like jewels that made Tony’s eyes sparkle. 

“It’s ridiculous,” Bruce demurred. Tony kissed the tip of his nose.

“It’s not. Have you done a trial run yet?”

“I was just getting ready to,” Bruce said, checking over everything once more while Tony waited patiently. Bruce finally took a breath, held it, and balanced the ball bearing at the beginning of the machine. 

“Ready?” he asked, looking over his shoulder at Tony, who gave him a thumbs-up.

“Ready,” Tony said, and Bruce paused a moment more, then dropped the bearing.

Immediately, the machine sprung to life, clacking and spinning, then playing the wine glasses like tiny chimes. The bearing spun around the room, and they both turned with it to watch avidly. Bruce clasped his hands in delight, holding his breath at every transition until he was light-headed, until at the very end, it was as though the machine took its turn to hold its breath as it delicately picked up a single sugar cube and dropped it into the hot tea. The machine slowly wound down, clicking into silence, which Bruce promptly punctuated with a yell.

“Hot damn, it worked!” He turned to Tony and kissed him fully, laughing in triumph. It wasn’t the first Rube Goldberg machine he’d ever made, but it was the first one he got to share with Tony. Tony wrapped his arms around Bruce, celebrating vicariously.

“It was flawless!” he said excitedly, and shooed Bruce towards the tea. “Go on! Celebratory toast is mandatory!” 

Bruce obliged, sipping his tea and offering some to Tony, who accepted. Bruce still thought it was just a silly hobby of his, despite what Tony said, but that didn’t erase the exhilaration of actually seeing it work for the first time. Later, he would nerd out and record the machine in action, carefully editing the video for aesthetic appeal to add to his library. But right now, he set his mug back down on the saucer, and happily offered the ball bearing to Tony.

“I think I like a little more sugar in my tea. What do you think?” he said, and Tony just grinned like a schoolboy, taking the bearing from Bruce as they eagerly reset the machine.


End file.
